A New Name

       A new grade, a new teacher, a new start; that's what I thought of every class I began in grade school.  The reality was they all started off in a really annoying way.  One of the first things every teacher would do is to line up the kids in alphabetical order and set us up in the prearranged seating.  Of course, being so blessed as having a last name which began with an "A" meant that I was always first, and doubly blessed by being placed right in front of the teacher's desk (did you hear the sarcasm?).  Usually, they started in front of their desk and worked their way across the room, but occassionally, a teacher would mix it up and start in front of their desk and work their way to the back- still didn't help me though.  I think there was only one time in grade school I got to sit somewhere else!

 

       Being first all the time became very annoying especially since I was shy and didn't want to be the first at anything.  Eventually I determined that one day I would only marry a man whose name was in the middle to end of the alphabet.  This was very important for me when I was young because I knew that I would take my husband's name and would never again have a last name ending in "A".  {Honey, if you're reading this, I didn't just marry you for your last name!!! :)  }  I applied for a name change soon after being married in '88 and with great joy opened the envelope containing my new birth certificate with my new name.  I would never have to be first again by alphabetical listing.

       As to the importance of name changes, when we adopted our children, one of our greatest days was when we received the legally binding adoption papers which showed the new name we gave our children.  There was a joyful feeling of permanance which filled our hearts as we saw they were ours- our family, our children.  This would be the beginning of our new lives together as a family, and we looked with anticipation of the great times we would have together.

 

       We who have given our hearts and lives to the Lord Jesus Christ have each become a new person (2Cor. 5:17) and have been adopted into the family of God (Eph. 1:4,5).  We are His children forever.  But one day, a day of great joy, we will have our new name given us by the Lord where we will forever, in a binding way, be with Him.

 

Let everyone who can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches: Every one who is victorious... I will give to each a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one else knows except the one receiving it.  Rev. 2:17

And they shall see his face; and his name shall be written on their foreheads... the Lord God will be their light; and they shall reign forever and ever.  Rev. 22:4,5

Vital Union

       Sometimes you can read the Word of God and miss understanding or applying it to your life simply because the wording doesn’t impact you.  That’s why I tend to do my basic Bible reading in The Living Bible-TLB, and go back to the other versions for studying the scriptures.  Just read the wording here, and see what I mean.

And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with him.  Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him.  See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught.  Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done.  Col. 2:6,7

       Trust Jesus for each day’s problems.  Yep, it’s what we should do, but do we really.  First off, we don’t always think to include Him in our day- I mean, He’s God and I’m sure He’s got more important things to do, right?  Wrong.  The Lord wants to be a part of our life or else why would He send the Holy Spirit to dwell in us (1Cor. 3:16) giving us a permanent link to Him (Eph 3:17)?  Secondly, when problems arise, we don’t think of Him first, but our own wisdom and logic, trying to find man’s way out.  That usually gets us into trouble.  “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God…” (1Cor. 3:19) “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes…” (Pr. 21:2)

       In contrast, our roots are to receive nourishment from Him-daily-hourly-minutely. (yep, I know, it’s not a word)  He is our Living Water (Jh. 4:10,13) and Bread of Life (Jh. 6:35,51).  We will starve without Him ‘feeding’ us, without His contribution in our lives.  And because He nourishes us, we can grow in Him, and become strong and vital in this world so that we may make a difference, hence the reason the Lord speaks of us as salt and light (Mt. 5:13,14): both are essential in sustaining the world.

 

       Imagine, if it could be done, cutting the roots off of a tree and hoping it will continue to grow, be healthy and strong.  Won’t happen, will it?  The tree, if it can even remain standing, will wither and die without nutrients from the soil.  But we often cut off our roots from the soil of the Lord by not spending time with Him (in the Word, praying, praising, conversing) yet we wonder why we don’t feel strong.  We can’t keep growing without the union of our roots in His soil.  What happens to a tree without roots?  It dies.  What happens when we cut ourselves off from our vital union with Him?  We start to die.

We need to trust the Lord enough to be a part of our lives.

His life is vital to us!

My Favorite Super Hero

       Since at least my teenage years, I thought Superman was the greatest ‘super hero’ there was.  Sure, Spiderman could shoot out webs and swing, Batman could fight really well and had a cool car, and the others all had their special abilities, but to me, Superman was the best.  He was stronger, faster, more powerful, leapt really high, was invulnerable, could fly, and best of all, was a ‘man’ of integrity.  Plus, he was played by Christopher Reeve who was kinda cute!

       Not much has changed in the attributes I desire in my Super Hero, after all, how do you respect and adore someone who does not have the attributes you admire.  The only difference is my favorite Super Hero has changed.  You see, I found the One who possesses "extraordinary or superhuman powers" and who is truly dedicated to protecting people.  Here is His list of ‘superhuman powers’:

God is omnipotent. –unlimited power, able to do anything (Rev. 19:6; Is. 40:26)

God is omniscient. –complete, unlimited knowledge, knowing everything (Ps. 139:12; Ps. 44:21; Jer 17:9,10; Heb. 4:12,13; 1Cor. 2:10)

God is omnipresent. –within creation there is no place He can’t go (Ps 139:7-10)

God is stronger for He is our strength. (1Jh. 4:4)

God cannot die- therefore invulnerable. –incapable of being hurt or damaged (Ps. 90:2)

God can do whatever He wants. (Is. 46:10; Ps. 135:6)

God always was and always will be. (Ps. 90:1,2; Rev. 22:13- Jesus is God)

God sustains the universe in motion. (Col. 1:17- by him all things hold together ISV)

God has the highest integrity. –honest, strong principles, moral uprightness (Heb. 6:18; Is. 6:3; 1Sm. 2:2)

Can’t beat that, Superman!!!